Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
English word name
"releasing device; to initiate"
This name might be too, well, triggering.
Word name
Axe, spelled like this, is used for a handful of baby boys in the US each year. You can see it as one of the new weapon names, along with Dagger and Beretta, or as an abbreviation of the very popular…
"spell, curse, bringer of bad luck"
Jinx, a James Bond heroine name has an ominous meaning but kinetic energy. In the film "Die Another Day," the actual first name of the character played by Halle Berry is Giacinta. It could therefore…
Hebrew
"wrestling, struggling"
Rarely used biblical choice -- he's a son of Jacob -- with a bit of a white-bearded image.
Asking for trouble.
Dagger is one of the new badass baby names , a sharp and scary choice that some parents may feel arm their child for battle in a cruel modern world.
"exposure to injury, pain, harm, or loss"
Prime example of the aggressive word names that are an off-the-grid branch of the new macho names. Makes Cannon, Maverick, and Ranger feel almost soft and sensitive by comparison.
American variation of Machiavelli, Italian
"bad nail; king of light"
Makaveli was an alias of Tupac Shakur — his posthumous album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory , was released under the pseudonym. The album was released in 1996, following his death, and the…
"defector; rebel"
Could Renegade be the next Maverick? The rebellious meaning and fashionable nickname Ren make it a real possibility.
Striker is one of the new gang of boys' names that have two syllables, end in -er, spring from words, and have a macho, even aggressive meaning and image. Other examples include Breaker, Heller, and…
Irish
"dark, dusty"
A much fresher Ty name than Tyler or Tyson.
Sabre is a feminine name derived from the word for a type of curved sword, originating from the French "sabre," which came from the Hungarian "szablya." As a name, Sabre projects strength, sharpness,…
Greek
"nobody"
One of the best known early Nemos was the captain in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea , while the more familiar modern one is the animated little orange fish in the Disney movie. Unusual name…
"infamous"
Notorious debuted on the charts for boys in 1995, at the height of The Notorious B.I.G.'s career.
"he will struggle"
Unfortunately, everyone will just hear Jared.
Latin
"envy; to look against"
Invidia's meaning isn't very pleasant — as a Roman goddess, she was the personification of envy. However, Invidia has the sounds of an attractive name, not unlike Olivia.
"the glory is gone"
Ichabod, an eccentric Old Testament name, is forever tied to the character of Ichabod Crane -- and worse, the teasing possibilities of "icky bod." Even its original meaning is a negative. Skip…
"villager, country-dweller"
While patriot Thomas Paine is a worthy honoree, the mere association with the word 'pain' knocks this name out of bounds.
Native American
"rain falling"
A Miwok tribe name with a pleasant meaning.
English
"having the body of a gnat"
Peabody is a quintessentially Waspy surname that your child won't thank you for -- either the pea part or the body part, or the meaning part.
